Don't get in a lava about Mount Etna
The flow of lava from a crater that has formed on Sicily's Mount Etna should not affect tourism, said the Association of British Travel Agents. It added that tourism in the nearby resort of Taormina could even get a boost from people keen to see the lava.

A question of health for travellers
Travellers are becoming more health conscious, according to British Airways, which has reported a 42 per cent increase in the number of customers at its three London clinics in the first six months of the year. Most questions asked about health precautions concerned Thailand, Peru and India.

Spanish open tourist crime office
Madrid has opened an office for tourists who have been the victim of crime. Open 24 hours a day, it is part of the Madrid central police commission and gives help in English and other languages. Spanish Tourist Office (020 7467 5505).

Discounts for London flats
Discounts of 10 per cent are available on flats in London booked before 31 August with the Independent Traveller (01392 860807). Apartments can be booked from three nights to three months, with studios and one-bed apartments in central London from £425 a week.